- Date posted
- 6y
- Date posted
- 6y
I struggle with false memories every day. Ocd has the power to distort and twist past memories. You can look up other stories on other forums simply google pocd and false memories, however it can be easy to get got up in the reassurance train. My only advice and one I struggle to apply every day, is recognize that trying to “remember” or ruminate just gives the ocd more power. It distorts the memories even more. Regular people who don’t have a memory of something wrong is enough to satisfy them. For ocd sufferers, absolute proof or certainty is the only thing that will satisfy us. Which is impossible. Also I don’t think you are a terrible person, even if you kissed a child or your brother. It would just be a kiss, and children do silly things. I certainly did. Try to relax, don’t focus on what’s real and what’s not real. Try to forgive yourself, even tho you don’t have proof it’s real, just practice forgiveness for yourself. Talking to God helps me. The more time you let pass practicing mindfulness to just let the false memories thoughts just pass by and not ruminate on them, the more easier it will be to believe the false memory is not real. And there are times I honestly am not sure if I can call mine false. And then times I’m convinced I could never be so horrible. That overwhelming feeling of doubt is the ocd. Best wishes friend xxxxx
- Date posted
- 6y
One of the stranger things with it all. I’ll have a memory or flashback that i certainly did or a time i certainly felt well and great and I’ll have the thought that no i really didn’t, i know it’s false, everything about it is false BUT it feels legitimate. Then I’ve had to go back and think more and it turns into a cycle. I’ve been trying more so to just not even go back and legitimize the thoughts because if it truly was a problem then, i would’ve reacted then. It’s tough but going back over 1000s of times hasn’t gotten me anywhere.
- Date posted
- 6y
Thank you so much to everyone who has replied. This has helped a lot knowing that I’m not alone. OCD is extreme key difficult because you’re constantly obsessing over everything and it literally interferes with a routine. OCD basically is my routine now. Thank you for the help, or really means a lot. I’m wishing you all the best too xxx
- Date posted
- 6y
False memories are the hardest part about this disorder. I find that the better I get at treating them as intrusive thoughts the less real they feel and logic and reality sets back in! Stay strong and keep doing the exposures
- Date posted
- 6y
It’s true, it’s a futile search to ruminate. I don’t think I have problems with my memory because I remember things from ages ago. If the harm or wrong we fear DID happen, it would be so emotional / or a big deal, we surely would have it burned in our brains.
- Date posted
- 6y
I get false memories.. it's the absolute worst
Related posts
- Date posted
- 25w
Without trying to seek reassurance, I’m wondering if anyone has insight on identifying an intrusive thought vs reality. Something that’s always really helped ground me in moments of false memory ocd is clearly remembering the exact moment the thought arose and how it started as “what if I cheated and don’t remember.” Then the images come and are extremely distressing, but I’ve always found some comfort in coming back to that moment of “this started as what if.” It feels like my brain is almost getting more creative with the thoughts now, and I’ve been having probably the worst anxiety of my life the past couple months after another intrusive thought entered my mind. I woke up after a night drinking and thought to myself “did you kiss your friend and don’t remember?” (Didn’t happen, undeniably proved). The rest of the day I stayed anxious about other things I could have done and poured over all my memories of the night. Then the next day I finally had found some peace based on all the evidence from my friends who were with me that nothing bad happened. I then thought “what about when you went to the bathroom,” which I hadn’t really been thinking about before, and then my mind immediately started flashing with images of me performing sex acts in the bathroom with some person who has no name, face, details, or anything I remember about interacting with them. I think I’m just concerned that this was a moment of genuine memory recall since I hadn’t been thinking about the bathroom before, and it was more of a sudden flash of images and “did you do that” vs “what if you did that.” I’m wondering how others are able to identify that something is an intrusive thought vs reality.
- Date posted
- 24w
Hello everyone I need some advice. I’ve struggled with what I think and hope is ocd for a long time. It started when I was 14 I had a concussion and my brain convinced myself for 9 months that I had this concussion. Then I had a gf at 15 before we were official I did a terrible thing im regretful of it for sure. I kissed another girl. I told my now ex girlfriend about it and I started to overthink the situation and think maybe I slept with the girl or maybe we did more than kiss. In reality we didn’t. when I turned 16 I started having thoughts of maybe I cheated on her with other girls at our school. It would be false memories of me sleeping or doing things with 4 or 5 other girls. That eventually went away as I would ask reassurance like a crazy person. Then one day what I believe was either Christmas time or new years around that time I had this thought “what if I SA’d my ex little sister?” This thought tormented me for so long I couldn’t believe it. As she was so young it would be impossible for me to do that without someone noticing plus that’s absolutely horrifying and disgusting and I’ve never ever ever ever been alone with her or desired to. Then what I knew would happen came along with me thinking I SA’d my little sister or my baby brother at the time. It was a horrible experience. Then it went to me thinking I was a pedo without the false memories. Then it went to my other siblings thinking I did something to them in their sleep, I did something to the pets, etc. As I got older I realized what ocd was and what I was going through and it eventually all went away. But as time goes on I’m now almost 24 I have spiraled back into thinking I SA my ex little sister. It’s crazy because I’ve never had that desire or anything at all it would absolutely break me if that was true. With something like this saying maybe not maybe it did is crazy because it’s a serious thing. I’m getting therapy on Monday and am just wanting my life back. I just recently got engaged to my beautiful fiancé and I want to be regular again. Anyone have any advice or even have gone through the same scenarios? It’s just so tough.
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 20w
Can it feel like you literally remember a false memory happening? And it feels like the memory has always been there and you vividly remember it happening that way? Because I don’t even know if I’m experiencing a false memory or not but god it feels so fucking real. Like I literally remember it happening. But what’s weird is the original memory was kind of different. 2 years later, the memory is not the same, but it feels like I literally remember it happening. And in this memory, I’m fucking snapping. I’m acting on my thoughts. I feel like a fucking psycho. I hope this is just OCD
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